The present invention relates to a molding of thermoplastic material with electrical contacts and to a process for its production. The molding according to the invention contains integrated conductor tracks and contact pins and can be used in particular as a housing for electrical or electronic devices.
Widely known are boards for electric circuits which bear on their surface electrical conductor tracks to which electronic components such as transistors, relays, computer chips etc. are soldered. The boards are generally produced from an electrically insulating plastic.
Also known are plug-in connectors of plastic, which have on one side contact pins or contact tubes which are molded or fitted into the plastic. Fastened on the other (rear) side of the contact pins or contact tubes are electrical lines, which are generally brought together to form a cable. These plug-in connectors do not, however, contain electrical conductor tracks which interconnect various of the contact pins or contact tubes.
Components for electrical or electronic devices are usually constructed for example in the form of an electric motor, an electric circuit etc. surrounded by a housing. The electrical contacting in this case usually takes place through a cable, which is led through an opening in the housing and is connected to the electrical or electronic devices directly or with the aid of a plug-in connector.
In mechanical and automotive engineering in particular, there are many examples of such subassemblies: distribution boxes, boxes for fuses and boxes for special vehicle electronics, in each case comprising a housing, a board with electric circuits and components and a separate power supply lead, which is led through an opening in the housing, as well as housings for door locks, window lifting drive mechanisms or windshield wiper drive mechanisms, which contain, inter alia, an electric motor and a power supply lead led through the housing.
A problem which arises here is often inadequate protection of the electrical or electronic components against moisture, since the cable bushings of the power supply leads usually do not fit exactly, or if so not permanently, and no separate sealing is carried out. On the other hand, the threading in of the power supply lead and the connection of the end of the cable of the power supply lead to the electrical or electronic devices that are located, and possibly fastened, inside the housing mean that many working steps are necessary for assembly.
The object was therefore to find an alternative possibility for the production of electrical or electronic subassemblies which as far as possible also simplifies assembly.
This object is achieved according to the invention by providing a plastic molding which is produced by the injection-molding process and contains on one side electrical conductor tracks, into or through which contact pins are inserted, part of the contact pins protruding out on the other, opposite side.
The invention therefore relates to a plastic molding which on one side contains on its surface electrical conductor tracks into which contact pins are inserted, part of these contact pins protruding from the surface with the electrical conductor tracks and part of the contact pins penetrating through the layer of plastic and protruding out on the other, opposite side.
The invention also relates to a process for producing the molding according to the invention, which is described in more detail below, and in particular to the use of the molding according to the invention as a housing for electrical or electronic devices.